T

T Grow Model

Miles Downer introduced a T standing for Topic to the well known GROW model that was developed by John Whitmore, it is used by individuals and organisations as a coaching method. GROW is an acronym for Goal, Current Reality, Options and Will – they are seen by Whitmore as the four key components of a coaching session.

Talent Management

An organisations commitment to support and develop there talented individuals or those who have been identified as future Director potential. Alternatively it could mean how the talent of the organisation is managed in order to fulfil the future needs of that organisation.

Task

An element of work that is completed to achieve a larger objective or goal, it has a start and end point and it is ultimately what you do to change the outcome.

Task Analysis

A method of identifying measurable behaviours involved in the performance of each task in a particular job, broken down by the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to successfully perform each one.

Task Inventory

A method of analysis in which a job is broken down into a series of tasks, as a whole they result in the accomplishment of a stated objective. Tasks should have a beginning and an end and constitute a measurable component of a specific job. Inventories can be compiled for each job in a department or for the organisation as a whole.

Test

A technique used to measure the performance, skill level, or knowledge of a specific subject matter. It usually involves quantification of results – a number that represents an ability or characteristic of the person being tested.

Total Quality Management (TQM)

The TQM System was originally developed by a number of American Management Consultants including W Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran and AV Feigenbaum, soon after in Japan it was embraced and seen as a way of developing manufacturing excellence. TQM is a philosophy for continuously improving the quality of products and processes. It functions on the premise that the quality of products and processes is the responsibility of everyone who is involved in the creation and consumption of the product or service this included the management, workforce, suppliers and customers, the idea being that through continuous improvement there is the ability to exceed customer expectations. Some of you may have heard of Six Sigma, this is a newer concept to TQM (see Six Sigma).

Trainer

A person who directs learners through a variety of learning theories and methods to make them more proficient in skills and tasks using instruction, coaching and facilitating techniques to deliver a set of agreed learning objectives.

Training

Learning that is delivered to improve people’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in the way they perform their present job.

Training Cycle

An established model that describes the process an organisation takes to identify its organisational goals, gaps in performance, training needs, design, plan and training delivery, assess learners and evaluate the outcome of the events success. These elements are a continuum to demonstrate the inter-relationship between each stage.

Training Needs Analysis

A process used to analyse the individual, group and organisational training needs often defined and calculated from Personal Development Plans and Annual Review data, based on the need identified to improve levels of competence and performance.

Transactional Analysis (Ego States)

In the 1950’s psychologist Eric Berne developed the concept of Interpersonal Styles, his research identified that there are 3 types of behaviour Parent, Adult and Child. According to Berne, Adult state is in evidence when we are operating in the here and now; we process information rationally and make decisions about how to act. Parent & Child are archaic i.e. it is based on information we have seen or done in our past. Parent state – is in evidence when we are replaying behaviour, thoughts or feelings that we have learned from someone else in our past. Child state – is in evidence when we are replaying behaviour, thoughts or feelings that we ourselves experienced in the past. To be a more skilled communicator you need to identify quickly which of these behaviours is at play and select the complementary way to communicate back with them.

Transfer of Learning

The successful implementation and application of new skills and ideas gained through training into the workplace or similar real world environment.

Tuckman’s Stages of Group/Team Development

In 1965 Bruce Tuckman first proposed that for a group/team to face up to new challenges, tackle problems and deliver results they had to go through four phases. They are:

Forming – Initial stage, the group is only a collection of individuals at this stage they are polite, guarded, watchful and impersonal, concerned about the structure and their place in it and dependent on the leader.

Storming – Confronting people, sub-grouping, conflicts, feeling stuck, noisy, rebellion, frustration about goals and actions, dissatisfied with dependence on authority, competing for power and or attention, feel confused and incompetent.

There is a 5th stage which is not identified on the graph which is Transforming, this is only relevant for temporary teams that are brought together for a particular project – the transforming stage is where the team begins to wind up its operations, there may be concern over the impending dissolution of the team and a sense of sadness mixed with gratification.